Methylhexaneamine (MHA) Information

NEWS ARTICLE

Updated London, 14 October 2013 –A significant number of athletes in a wide range of sports across the world have committed Anti-Doping Rule Violations by virtue of positive tests for methylhexaneamine (MHA), which is a prohibited stimulant.

This substance is known under several other names, including 4-methyl-2-hexanamine; 4-methyl-2-hexylamine; 2-amino-4-methylhexane; 1,3-dimethylamylamine; 1,3-dimethylpentylamine; 2-Hexanamine; 4-methyl- (9CI); Forthan; Forthane; Floradrene; Methylhexaneamine; Geranamine; DMAA. Athletes should avoid products that claim to contain any of these substances.

Players are also advised to exercise extreme caution when using any food supplement product, as these are often not subject to strict manufacturing controls, and may contain prohibited substances that are not declared on the label, or in different concentrations than stated on the label.

Not only may the use of such substances expose players to positive anti-doping tests, but also to significant health risks. MHA has been connected to high blood pressure, headaches, stroke, and has been implicated in the death of a marathon runner. A recent report from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that OxyELITE Pro (or a counterfeit version thereof) is implicated in a number of cases of acute non-viral hepatitis in the USA. The FDA is advising consumers to stop using any product labelled as OxyELITE Pro. The ITF produces a wallet card containing a range of anti-doping information, including the full WADA prohibited list, which players are advised to keep with them at all times in order to check (and/or get physicians to check on their behalf) the contents of all products that they ingest. The wallet card may be downloaded from the ITF Anti-Doping web site at www.itftennis.com/anti-doping.

Players are responsible for everything they ingest, and a positive anti-doping test cannot be excused by a contaminated supplement.

For further information, please contact the ITF Anti-Doping Department at: anti-doping.admin@itftennis.com. See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylhexanamine.